Filaments reclaimed from textile wastes are often shredded for use as filler, insulation, or pressed mats of fibrous material Filaments from wastes produced by fiber producers and textile plants form a source of tangled, or non-oriented, filaments which can be cut for further processing. Alternating motion of blades through non-oriented filaments can cause irregularity of filament segments cut from a source of such filaments. Further, blades used to cut filaments often tend to wear rapidly because of contact of the blade edge with other apparatus parts during cutting. Apparatus for cutting filaments which operate by alternating motion of blades can also cause the apparatus to become clogged.
Thus, a need exists for an improved cutting method and apparatus for forming a stream of filaments which overcomes or minimizes the aforementioned problems.